In BloomExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 303 / In Bloom
Meet this week’s guest editor, Brit Trible, owner of Gilded Lily Designs, a Richmond-based container gardening and holiday arrangements business known for elevating homes and businesses across the region. Brit grew up on a horse farm just outside the city, and from an early age, she always had her hands (and feet) in the dirt. If you ask us, there’s just something about the beauty of the outdoors that stays with you and shapes how you see the world.
But Brit didn’t begin her career designing outdoor spaces. After earning a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from James Madison University, she spent 15 years working in geriatric rehabilitation across hospital systems, home health, and rehab centers.
During COVID, after having her third child, she felt a pull toward something more creative. The shift wasn’t just about artistry, it was about connection. She wanted to build relationships while creating something tangible and lasting. That’s when Gilded Lily Designs was born.
Today, her business has adorned nearly 200 homes and businesses from Richmond to Charlottesville with custom container gardens and seasonal plantings. Brit sources planters and designs each space to match the style and scale of the property. She’s drawn to both sides of the work, the creative process and the relationships that come with it.
When she’s not growing her business, Brit enjoys exploring Richmond and beyond with her husband, Paul, and their three children. This week, she’s taking a moment to join us at Here Weekly to share her favorite ways to celebrate the place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Brit ...
Richmond Symphony League Designer Show House
The Richmond Symphony League is hosting its 20th Designer Show House. Located at 3937 Old Gun Road West in the historic Bellona Arsenal neighborhood, designers work for months to transform each room into their signature space. The home is then opened to the public to showcase their style and talent. Now through May 10, tour this gorgeous property and walk through the home and grounds to see the transformation in person.
Vitals:
2026 Designer Show House is open to the public through May 10, 2026 / 2026 Designer Show House Tickets / Foundry Manor, 3937 Old Gun Road West
Inaugural Fan Flea Market
The first-ever “Official” Fan Flea Market is Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We know The Fan is im-fan-mous for having a good sale or two, but this one brings together 50+ participants from South Harrison Street to South Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Come find trash-to-treasure gems — this is about as organized as a yard sale can get. Fan residents and participants have also created an online map to track participating homes.
Vitals:
Fan Flea Market / April 25, 10 am to 3 pm / Houses across the Fan will be hosting yard sales at the same time / Up-to-date map of all the participating houses
Richmond Restaurant Week
For two weeks each year, diners can experience a three-course meal at some of Richmond’s best locally owned restaurants while giving back to the community. Whether you’re exploring new dishes at a favorite spot or trying somewhere new altogether, you’ll want to make more than one reservation. When you participate, a portion of every meal purchased goes to Feed More, a Richmond-based nonprofit that collects, prepares, and distributes food to neighbors in need.
Presented by the Garden Club of Virginia, this week’s statewide tour is the nation’s only house and garden tour of its kind, offering access to more than 120 private homes, public gardens, and historic sites across Virginia, each enhanced by over 1,000 floral arrangements created by Garden Club members. While Richmond’s Westhampton tour took place today, events will continue across the Commonwealth through the weekend. Highlights include the Executive Mansion on Friday, along with tours on the Eastern Shore and in Lake Gaston on Saturday. With downloadable maps and half-day ticket options, it’s an opportunity to explore some of Virginia’s most beautiful spaces at the peak of spring.
Gilded Lily Designs specializes in custom container gardening, helping homeowners and businesses bring their outdoor spaces to life. From one-time installations to seasonal container refreshes, Brit and her team handle everything from design and plant sourcing to installation. Each project begins with an on-site consultation to understand the space, style, and vision, followed by thoughtful planning and execution. The result is a tailored design that keeps properties looking polished, vibrant, and in bloom through every season.
Step Into Virago AlleyExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 302 / Step Into Virago Alley
Meet this week’s guest editor, Ash Moore, Managing Director of Virago Alley, the organization behind the Richmond Ren Faire. With nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit arts, Ash has worked with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond Symphony, and most recently the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance, providing marketing, fundraising, and programming support.
Ash serves as Board Secretary for Spectre Percussion, Virginia’s only independent open percussion ensemble, and is also involved with Gallery5, an award-winning, community-driven visual and performing arts center located in Historic Jackson Ward at the heart of Richmond’s Arts District. Through their work at Virago Alley and in their volunteer roles, they advocate for the arts as a vehicle for community building and social cohesion.
In their free time, Ash can be found taking a modern dance class or exploring ways to connect with their inner whimsy. This week, Ash is sharing tips for exploring and celebrating this place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Ash …
Richmond Ren Faire After Parties
Keep the party going at the official Richmond Ren Faire after parties. Each night features a local lineup of high-energy performances in the place where it all started — our favorite community arts center, Gallery5.
Gallery5 celebrates its 21st birthday this week, marking over two decades as a launchpad for local artists and community groups.
Catch the Roll 4 crew at the Richmond Ren Faire by day, then head to Coalition Theater by night for a grand adventure. Assemble your party and join this month’s Roll 4 D&D one-shot campaign, where the fate of the players rests on the roll of the dice — and your wild suggestions.
Come in your best Ren Faire costume for half off tickets at the door.
WRIR’s Spring Fund Drive kicks off this weekend, serving as one of their largest fundraising initiatives of the year. WRIR is the voice of the community, airing underrepresented music, news, and views to provide a platform for cultural diversity in Richmond.
This spring’s T-shirt design was created by Silly Genius, featuring the statement: “Get ready for a revolution of sound and a revival of soul. Over the hood, through the streets, and right into your brain.” The line includes a nod to the Sega game Jet Set Radio, paying homage to pirate radio.
Virago Alley’s mission is to provide an accessible and inclusive platform for the exploration, education, and preservation of historical martial arts and artisan trades. The Richmond Ren Faire is the organization’s largest initiative to carry out that mission, serving as a celebration of our local arts and culture communities. The RVARF is a massive collaborative effort, activating small businesses and a range of artisans representing various practices and mediums. This project invites people to participate in crafting the world they want to see reflected around them, with an emphasis on community building and the power of creating together. Virago Alley has a lot on the horizon for the rest of this year, including the expansion of educational programming, additional events, and maybe even a new headquarters.
Be a BuddyExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 301 / Be a Buddy
This week, we're welcoming back Sofia McDaniel, J.D., as our guest editor. Sofia is a local business leader, K–12 education advocate, girls lacrosse coach, and passionate champion for expanding access and opportunity for young people. With experience spanning K–12 innovation, sport leadership, and community partnerships, she is dedicated to advancing meaningful change. Her work is increasingly informed by a focus on public health and how we can better support real outcomes for young people.
In addition to her professional work, Sofia is deeply committed to advocacy and service. With two siblings with autism, she has a personal connection to the intellectual and developmental disabilities community and is a dedicated supporter of inclusive programming through organizations like Best Buddies.
Sofia is also an SEA Fellow with Empower Schools and loves to noodle on how to make educational options more accessible for all parents and families alongside state education leaders from across the nation.
This week, Sofia is here to share her tips for exploring and celebrating this place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Sofia ...
Best Buddies Friendship Walk
Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through one-to-one friendships, leadership development, integrated employment, and inclusive living programs, Best Buddies is transforming the way communities understand and embrace inclusion.
In Richmond, Best Buddies plays a critical role in building connections between students, families, and professionals. It creates spaces where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are not only supported, but celebrated. For me, this mission is deeply personal. With two siblings with autism, I’ve seen firsthand how life-changing inclusion, friendship, and opportunity can be. Best Buddies is not just an organization, it’s a movement toward a more compassionate and accessible world.
I am Chair of the Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Richmond and serve on the Advisory Board for Best Buddies in VA/DC. This walk brings together families, friends, and supporters to celebrate friendship, acceptance, and opportunity. Join me on April 19 for a day of unity and support at this historic event, which fosters genuine friendships, promotes inclusivity, and raises vital funds for Best Buddies in Virginia & DC.
“Structure: A Study in Fashion” is a runway show during RVA Fashion Week, blending art, design, and purpose. This show brings together a collective of emerging and established designers to explore form, movement, and storytelling through fashion, all while supporting the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative.
Featuring designers like Albie Sweets, C Renee, Constantine Atelier, Convertino Couture, N5 Couture, Suigens, and more, the show promises a dynamic mix of couture, streetwear, and experimental design.
To me, it’s fashion with intention. Events like this highlight not only Richmond’s growing fashion scene, but also the power of art to bring people together around something meaningful.
Vitals:
“Structure: A Study in Fashion” at RVA Fashion Week / Saturday, April 11, 2026 / 6PM-10PM / Deco at CNB, 219 East Broad Street
Earn The Sunrise
On Wednesdays at EVLVE Training Club, personal trainer Jesus Martinez, “Baby Gesus,” leads participants through a high-energy workout session before the sun is up. He really makes you “earn the sunrise.”
I always say you will never regret a workout. Earn the Sunrise gives you community and a great way to start your day. You may even be lucky enough to have Baby Gesus roll the “dice” and earn 15 extra push-ups.
Best Buddies is the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Programs offered by Best Buddies empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families. There are over 100 chapters and more than 42,870 people impacted. In our area, the Virginia & Washington, D.C. chapter offers a variety of ways to develop one-to-one friendships, join or volunteer, donate, attend an event, advocate, and more.
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